We are still looking for that idea TT for our needs and think we may have found one. While talking with the salesman, I asked what the tongue weight was on this particular model, and his reply was " don't worry at all about tongue weight as the weight distribution hitch transfers all that tongue weight throughout the TT and TV." I'm scratching my head as we leave that dealership.....I think we will find another dealer.All this guy wanted to do was sell this TT no matter what....scary.Steve

Steve 911,I have yet to meet a RV salesman in 25 yrs. that actually has any real towing experience:):)

Steve 911 wrote:...I'm scratching my head as we leave that dealership.....I think we will find another dealer.All this guy wanted to do was sell this TT no matter what....scary.SteveYou'll likely find the same situation at the next dealership, and the next dealership, and the next dealership.....

The salesperson is not your friend, adviser, or helper. You are on your own and it is an adversarial relationship.The salesperson has one goal and only one goal. That goal is to take money from your pocket and put it in their pocket.

The real sad thing is that he has told that to countless others and will tell it to countless more that have not done enough research to be skeptical. At least you knew that it didn't sound right and moved on. Many will just take the salesman's advice and then maybe be here after the fact when its too late to do much about it... short of buying a different TV.If there is one thing I've learned here its that tongue weight often matters much more than overall dry weight or even loaded weight to some extent because of the impact it has on overall payload and the payload limitations on many popular tow vehicles like 1/2 ton pickups.As much heat as folks get on this and some other sites for being the "weight police", I am glad they at least provide cautionary information to get people thinking.Dean

When we were looking at ours, the young salesman asked me what we were towing with. I told him a Nissan Pathfinder, as a joke, thinking he would get the joke!! Nope, he told me we'd be fine pulling with that. I didn't give him a hard time, he looked around 20 years old. Pretty sure that's the same response he gives everyone. It's funny to me, but that's what gets people in over their heads weight wise.

Scratching my head on this one | Good Sam Community

GMT830
Explorer
May 22, 2014
A tongue weight scale is not very expensive in the grand scheme of purchasing a brand new TT. Bring it with you when your shopping and you'll know exactly what the TW is. And it will be good to monitor the TW as you are loading the TT for travel.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
May 22, 2014
I've seen both. In some lots they told us we could tow way more than we could just to sell a trailer. In others they asked about the trucks first and then showed us trailers. Guess which lot I bought from.
sharker6
Explorer
May 22, 2014
I've had salesman tell me they've never slept in an RV or camped, let alone hitch-up and pull one. That was the larger RV dealer in the country in Florida at the time!
BurbMan
Explorer II
May 22, 2014
Steve, Don't be too down on the salesman, as was said most don't have any real world towing experience. This board wasn't around until I bought my second trailer, but by then I was more in the know than the salesman. If you haven't done so already, weigh your tow vehicle with the family and a full tank of fuel like you are ready to camp. Subtract the scale weight from your GVWR and that's how much you can afford to handle for tongue weight. Divide that number by 0.13 and that will tell you what the loaded TT weight should be. Subtract 1000 lbs and that will tell you what the dry weight should be.

Having these numbers in my mind enabled me to shop wisely without needing to rely on the salesman. When he showed us a TT, the first thing I would do is look at the sticker in the cabinet and see what the dry weight is. If it's above my target number, I would just say" This one's too heavy" before DW got inside and fell in love with any features. At some point the salesman would tell me that I could tow more with my truck, and my stock answer is "That's what I am comfortable with."

I think most folks get into trouble shopping for the trailer first, then when they find one they fall in love with asking the salesman if they can tow it....of course the answer is a "yes".
Mvander
Explorer
May 22, 2014
mosseater wrote:
Not only should he have given you the tongue weight from the literature without question or issue, he should have volunteered to actually get the tongue scale and weigh it. No cooperation = no $$$. I'd walk.

Part of a good set up, whether they think your truck can handle it or not, is knowing your numbers. Whenever someone pushes my buttons anymore, I'm outa there.

I have yet to visit an RV dealer that actually has a tounge scale, and I have asked a few times when we were shopping.
Dog_Folks
Explorer
May 22, 2014
Steve 911 wrote:
We are still looking for that idea TT for our needs and think we may have found one. While talking with the salesman, I asked what the tongue weight was on this particular model, and his reply was " don't worry at all about tongue weight as the weight distribution hitch transfers all that tongue weight throughout the TT and TV."
I'm scratching my head as we leave that dealership.....I think we will find another dealer.
All this guy wanted to do was sell this TT no matter what....scary.
Steve

You don't need a different dealership, but rather a different salesman.

I would ask management for a knowledgeable salesman, and explain that the dealership would not make a sale without one.
2008Wildcat
Explorer
May 22, 2014
djgarcia wrote:
Steve 911,
I have yet to meet a RV salesman in 25 yrs. that actually has any real towing experience:):)

Hi, nice to meet you.....

Now you can say you have.
mosseater
Explorer II
May 22, 2014
Not only should he have given you the tongue weight from the literature without question or issue, he should have volunteered to actually get the tongue scale and weigh it. No cooperation = no $$$. I'd walk.

Part of a good set up, whether they think your truck can handle it or not, is knowing your numbers. Whenever someone pushes my buttons anymore, I'm outa there.
Steve_911
Explorer
May 22, 2014
I guess there is that rare exception....
Halmfamily
Explorer
May 22, 2014
I guess we got lucky with our salesman, he was very knowledgeable about his product and had us bring our truck in on one of our visits. He and the service manager went out to our truck and checked the door for the weights, type of tires, bed length etc and then narrowed our search down from there. Spent many days with him looking at different units and he never showed any annoyance with all of the questions. It was a great experience. Unfortunately, we went back last month to talk with him about another unit but he had passed away that morning while walking to his office. God Speed Richard Greene.